Japanese Prime Minister Hashimoto Sanae posted on the evening of January 31: "Today in the afternoon, I returned to Tokyo and held a summit meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer."
We first met during the G20 Summit in November last year, and since then we have developed a close relationship where we call each other by our first names, "Keir" and "Yoko." I am very pleased that I could quickly invite him to visit Japan.
Japan and the UK are "enhanced global strategic partners," and also important allies. This time, I confirmed with Keir that we will take our cooperation to a new level based on the previous collaboration between our countries. In the future, both sides will accelerate consultations to further deepen cooperation in key areas such as security, trade and industry, cyber, space, economy, industrial strategy, economic security, energy security, and technology.
At the official dinner at the office, we also had an in-depth exchange on various issues in the international community and reached a consensus to further strengthen cooperation.
I also received an invitation from Prime Minister Starmer to visit the official villa of the British Prime Minister, Chequers. This place has hosted former Prime Minister Abe and is also where many foundational discussions between Japan and the UK took place in recent years. It is a great honor for me to be invited to this historically significant and special location. I sincerely look forward to meeting Keir Starmer again when I visit the UK in the future.
Against the backdrop of the complex crises of the 21st century, I am willing to continue deepening close cooperation with Keir Starmer to jointly build a new era of Japan-UK relations.
Comments: After Starmer's visit to China, he immediately visited Japan. Hashimoto Sanae using the name "minister" highlights the closeness between Japan and the UK. Both sides have decided to upgrade the "enhanced global strategic partnership," expand cooperation in multiple fields, and issue high-level invitations. Essentially, Japan and the UK are using bilateral deep integration to build a bridge for strategic coordination across the Indo-Pacific. Japan aims to bring Britain closer to enhance regional security coordination and align views on China, while the UK is pursuing a balanced diplomacy between engaging with China and cooperating with allies. This reflects the need to group together amid complex international changes, but also contains deeper considerations of hedging against major power games and consolidating its own strategic space. Their cooperative moves will influence the trilateral interaction between China, the US, and Europe, as well as the regional security structure.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855839975045127/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.